Cacela Velha

The camino passes the entrance to Cacela Velha, and a detour is recommended. This tiny clifftop village contains a 17th-century fort and a church dating to medieval times (both may be closed), but the real highlight is the spectacular view out over the Ria Formosa estuary and the ocean. There's a restaurant, Casa Azul, if you're there around lunchtime.

Cacela Velha is one of the most photographed spots in the eastern Algarve — a handful of whitewashed houses perched above turquoise lagoon waters.